Container



Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,247

a. c. REID CONTAINER Filed July 14, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTOR EY G. C. REID CONTAINER Aug. 28, 1928. 1,682,247

Filed July 14, 1924 aspects-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

GEORGE CLAYTON REID, OF'BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION NEW JERSEY.

CONTAINER Application filed July 14,

My invention relates to containers of sheet container and provide access to its contents.

Containers of this sort have in the past been provided with various arrangements of score lines permitting, for example, re moval of part or substantally all of an end of the container and as a further example removal of a strip encircling the container. Although the invention will hereinafter be described as embodied in a can from which an end is to be torn away along the score lines, it will be readily manifest that the invention may with equal facility beembodied in containers of other character and having other arrangement of scoring.

Prior to my present invention scoring in 'tin' and other sheet metal containers has been accomplished by merely cutting part way through the metal along the lines of score, care being exercised to limt the depth of out throughout the length of the score lines to leave suflicient metal to. provide the necessary strength of sheet. This circumstance and 1 the further circumstance that sheet metal varies in thickness in successive sheets and even in the same sheet has rendered necessary the use'of a key or other special tool to tear along the score lines for the re- .moval of the part set-off by them. Moreover, when, as of course happens upon oceasion, the scoring is deeper than is safe for the particular sheet of tin or the particular section of the sheet of tin, the cutting passes through the metal and hermetic sealing ofthe container rendered impossible.

It has also been proposed to'cut through the tin at intervals, and form a .V-gro.ove at such line of cutting and lay a wire in said groove and cover the wire ,Wltll solder, "which was an expensive construction and not satisfactory, because-if the wire were i pulled towards the line of partial cutting of the/sheet metal it would not sever the solder, and if it should be pulled toward the solder it would leave the sheet metal intact.

My container can be opened without the use of any wire, and the thin remaining metal" 1924. Serial No. 725,811.

the provision of scoring in a container, which in the finished product will not require dependence solely upon the strength of the metal between the base of the cut and the oppos'te face of the sheet andwhich will permit of hermetic sealing of said container even where there is complete severance throughout portions of the score lines themselves. I

My invention has for a further and highly important object the provision of a con-- ta-iner of sheet metal from which a part may be removed along the score'lines Without the use of a key or other special tool.

My invention contemplates the provision of score lines of depth in excess of that at present considered safe and the filling in of said scorelines with solder or other mate-- rial of low tensile strength adapted to ad here to the metal to close said score lines against possible, leakage and to provide sufficient strength to permit safe working of the scored part to form the can.

My invent-ion contemplates both a new product and a new process for producing the same.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Flgure 1 shows a perspective view of the metallic con ainer provided with a score, or

weakened li e in its top or cover;

Fig. 2is a fragmental sectional View of acontainer cover and scoring die members, the view illustrating the formation of the channel within one face of the cover;

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross section of acontainer cover and afragmental portion of a solder applying roller;-

Fig. 4 is a fragmental enlarged view-0f the container illustrating a weakened section filled with solder; v I

Fig. 5 is an elevation of a container and its cover, a portion being broken away to more clearly illustrate'the parts, the view showing the piercing of the-cover by means of a sharp instrument; a i Fig. 6 is across sectional fragmental View of. the upper part of a container and its cover, illustrating the removal of the area defined by the score lines;

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional fragmental view of the upper view of a container and its cover after its central part has been removed.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, numeral 11 designates any suitable container body provided with a bottom end 12 and a cover 13, the parts being secured together in any suitable manner, such as the ordinary double seamillustrated at 14. The cover 13 is provided with a scored or weakened line which is adapted to be broken in the opening of the container. For the purposes of illustration said score line is formed by a channel 15 cut on the underside of the face of the cover, although such a line could readily be formed in any other part of the container. This cut is made in any well known manner, for example by means of a scoring die 16 pressing against a backing plate 17, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The channel 15 is then filled with solder 18 applied in any suitable manner, for example by-a roller 19 rotating against the channel-portion 15 of the cover and causing the solder to. flow into said channel and to completely fill the same.

When it is desired to remove the cover any sharp instrument, for example a pointed'ice pick 20, is inserted into the weakened line andby an upward leverage of the opening tool the central portion 21 of the cover is lifted from the cover 13, this being easily done by reason of the low tensile strength of the solder, see Fig. 6. After removal of the central portion 21 of the container 13,

there is left an opening 22 having a cleancut smooth edge as clearly illustrated in Fig. 7.

It will be manifest that the score cut does or may extend substantially through the container end or wall in which it is provided, the solder filling giving the necessary strength and preyenting leaking.

It will thus be seen that my invention provides a sheetmetal container a wall of which is formed with a scoreline which is sufliciently deep to offer small resistance to tearing, and which is filled with a substance which offers small resistance to tearing, and which when solder is used, takes the place of the scored away metal so as to partly and sufiiciently restore the strength which the sheet metal had before scoring.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be underor sacrificing all of its material advantages,

the form hereinbefore described being mere- 1y a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. The method of providing a removable section in anhermetic metallic container, which consists in scoring and reducing the thickness of the metal of the container at the portion surrounding the removable section, building up said section to substan tially its original thickness by placing thereon and uniting therewith a metallic material of lower tensile strength than the tensile strength of the metal of the container to permit easy opening thereof.

2. The method of providing a releasable section in a sheet metal container, which consists in forming a score line around the section of the container which is to-be released for opening the same, said score line not having associated therewith any wire or ripping instrumentality, said score line being sufliciently deep to offer small resistance to tearing, and then filling said score line with a substance which offers small resistance to tearing.

3. A sheet metal container-a wall of which is formed with a relatively deep continuous score line having two functions, to contain soft metal and to weaken the wall forthe purpose oftearing leaving a thin integralconnection between the parts of the wall and adapted to be ruptured to release a part of the wall for opening the container, said score'line being filled with a relatively soft metal, and said score line not having associated therewith any wire or ripping instrumentality. a

4. A sheet metal container awall of which is formed with a deep continuous score line leaving a thin integral connection between the parts of the .wall and adapted to be ruptured to release a part-of the wall for opening the container, said score line being filled with a relatively soft metal and not having associated therewith any wire or ripping instrumentality, said wall being formed with a depression at said score line whereby an instrument is guided to the line to begin the rupture of the wall along said line.

Y GEORGE CLAYTON REID. 

